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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23094199">How Juleka Got Her Groove Back</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ronoken/pseuds/Ronoken'>Ronoken</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Miraculous World of Caline Bustier [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Miraculous Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Caline Bustier deserves a raise, Caline Bustier is the queen we deserve, Chloe Bourgeois is the queen we deserve, Comedy of Errors, F/F, Gen, Hijinks &amp; Shenanigans, Identity Reveal, Mamabug, Romantic Comedy, School Dances, Tiny Chloe, Tiny Marinette, Zombies, chloe tries to be nice</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 12:34:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>12,404</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23094199</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ronoken/pseuds/Ronoken</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Right. Okay. I am a hero and I am going to help you. Because that’s what being a hero is all about. Helping those less fortunate and good-looking. You qualify.”</p><p>Juleka stared at Chloé. “Um, seriously? And could you please not toss in an insult each time you address me?”</p><p>Chloé grinned. “Seriously, and no, I cannot. It’s part of the power set. Look,” She said as she finished off her pastry. “While I’m not the best at friendship, I do know a thing or two about manipulation. You want Rose back? I can make it happen.”</p><p>*** </p><p>When Juleka thinks she is on the outs with Rose, the absolute last person in the universe that should help decides to lend a hand. And of course, it goes the way one would think.</p><p>Now, with a zombie army at the door and teenage emotions running wild, Caline Bustier must act fast to help save her class. She must team up with Chat Noir and Queen Bee in the face of insurmountable numbers, but she knows that with a little luck, they can do it.</p><p>After all, nobody messes with Mamabug's kids.</p><p>A one-shot romance where feelings are discussed, Chloe tries the whole 'nice' thing, Juleka stands up for what she believes in, and tons of people get punched in the face. Enjoy!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Juleka Couffaine &amp; Rose Lavillant</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Miraculous World of Caline Bustier [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1654729</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>351</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>The What To Do Series</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>How Juleka Got Her Groove Back</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> Juleka Couffaine was not normally known for showing emotion in school.</p><p>Or out of school for that matter, but I digress.</p><p>That was why it was a shock to Chloé Bourgeois when Juleka burst into the ladies’ room, slammed her fist into a stall door and screamed.</p><p>Chloé jumped a country mile and stared, wide-eyed, as Juleka then burst into tears.</p><p>Now, as she would be quick to tell you, and me, and everyone else, Chloé was a superhero. It was something she took immense pride in and she loved every yellow-clad second of it. While it had lent to even more boasting from Chloé about how awesome she was, it also carried an unintended consequence that several of her classmates had begun to notice.</p><p>Shockingly, Chloé had a soul.</p><p>More than that, she could actually feel and sometimes even project emotions.</p><p>Aside from bitch, that is. That one was a given.</p><p>While Chloé didn’t like to admit this (an image took constant maintenance, after all), she was grudgingly acknowledging more and more that when she tried to help people, she was getting positive results. She also was realizing that it made her feel goo… Gooo… Gooooo… Not bad.</p><p>So, that meant doing the one thing that came hardest to Chloé.</p><p>“Um,” Chloé said, mildly uncomfortable at this point. “Are you, like, okay?”</p><p>That’s right. Chloé could be nice.</p><p>Juleka instantly tensed. Chloé was suddenly reminded of nature documentaries where a deer would suddenly realize they had been spotted in the wild. Juleka furiously wiped her face off and shot a withering glare at Chloé. “What do you care? Why are you even here?!”</p><p>Chloé ‘s eyes went from Juleka, to the sink, and then back to Juleka. “I’m washing my hands. That’s what people are supposed to do when they’re done in here. What the Hell are <em>you</em> doing, Couffaine? I didn’t think you could show emotion.”</p><p>I never said she could <em>keep</em> being nice. Let’s not push things here.</p><p>Juleka growled, <em>actually</em> growled, at Chloé. For a moment, Chloé thought back and wondered if she had ever seen the goth girl get into it with anyone at school. Before she could wonder too much about it, Juleka suddenly deflated. “Just leave me alone, Chloé. I’m not in the mood for you today.”</p><p>Chloé winced internally as Juleka turned away and hugged herself. <em>‘Maybe I should tone down the bitch mode a bit’</em>, she thought.</p><p>The frustration and sadness radiating off the girl was almost tangible, and in that moment, Chloé had a very mature realization.</p><p>
  <em>‘Oh shit. I’m going to trigger an akumatization. Again.’</em>
</p><p>So, Chloé did the one thing she didn’t want to, but that she knew a real hero would.</p><p>“I’m sorry.”</p><p>Juleka stopped as though someone had poured cold water over her. “What did you just say?”</p><p>“I said I’m sorry. You’re… Right. You’re obviously worked up about <em>something</em> and I shouldn’t have just insulted you. So… Sorry for doing the thing that I did.”</p><p>Juleka blinked in shock. “You never apologize to me. You never have.” Juleka shot Chloé a suspicious glare. “What gives?”</p><p>Chloé looked Juleka over and noticed her messy hair, the redness of her eyes and the smeared mascara. Juleka was goth, but Chloé had to admit that she was a well-groomed goth. This was decidedly out of character for her.</p><p>“I’m a hero, remember?” Chloé said. “I can’t be mean all the time. Besides… You look… Wrong.” She pointed at Juleka. “You’re never that gross, even when you’re looking like you. So, what happened?”</p><p>Juleka frowned and crossed her arms. “None of your business, rich girl.”</p><p>Chloé thought for a moment and smirked. “Is this about, oh, I don’t know, Rose?”</p><p>Juleka bristled. Her eyes went wide with rage and she again growled at Chloé. The blonde jumped back as Juleka advanced on her with a fury that Chloé had rarely seen emanate from the quiet girl.</p><p>“Shut. Up.” Juleka snarled. “You don’t know anything, so I’d suggest you keep your little mouth shut, or I’ll shut it for you!”</p><p><em>‘Yep, it’s Rose,’</em> Chloé thought to herself.</p><p>Chloé held her hands up. “Hey. Truce. I didn’t… Dammit.”</p><p>Chloé took a breath and grumbled.</p><p>Being a hero was <em>hard</em>.</p><p>“I’m not looking to pick a fight. I just…” She looked at Juleka and shrugged. “You wanna talk about it?”</p><p>Juleka blinked in shock before she switched gears and nearly collapsed in hysterical laughter. Chloé felt her right eye starting to twitch as Juleka was going so hard that she snorted.</p><p>“Oh my God! Are, are <em>you</em> serious right now? Me? Unload my personal problems on you? What makes you think I would ever trust you with anything going on in my life? I’d rather…”</p><p>“I’m lonely,” Chloé blurted out.</p><p>Juleka sobered up quickly. “I… What?”</p><p>Chloé closed her eyes and wrung her hands in frustration. <em>“I said I’m lonely, dammit!</em> You need a notarized letter to confirm it? Christ! I just… I haven’t really talked to someone in a while. And I thought, you know, that you might like to, um. Talk. To me.”</p><p>Juleka considered this. “You aren’t hanging out with Sabrina anymore, are you?”</p><p>Chloé bit her lip and shook her head. “Oh, please. Like I would ever care about…” Chloé stopped mid-sentence and sighed. “Not in a while, no. Not that I miss her, or anything. She was ridiculous!”</p><p>Chloé turned around and hugged herself. In a smaller voice, she said, “Utterly ridiculous.”</p><p>Chloé nearly jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder.</p><p>“You know… I suppose if you did try to talk crap about this, no one would believe it. I guess… If you want to talk, I could talk.”</p><p>Chloé glanced back and nodded. “Deal, but you need to spill to me, too. And not here,” Chloé said, looking around. “This is <em>not</em> happening in a restroom. You, poor girl, do you like pastries?”</p><p>“Poor girl?” Juleka raised her eyebrow and shot Chloé an ‘are you kidding?’ look.</p><p>Chloé waived her off. “You don’t need to answer. Of course you do. Meet me at the park after school. 4:00 PM. Come alone. I’m not doing this at my hotel and definitely not on that tugboat you call a home.”</p><p>“You’re really selling the whole confiding thing, you know that?” Juleka snorted.</p><p>Chloé smiled and raised her chin. “Thank you. I’ve been working on it.”</p><p>Jukela let out a long sigh.</p><p>***</p><p>The park was warm and pleasant, but Chloé found Juleka hugging herself while huddled against a tree. With a grumble in her throat, the blonde heroine marched to a small hill, waived Juleka down, and spread out a small blanket before setting down a white box of pastries.</p><p>Juleka wandered over and eyed the pastries. “Are those from Marinette’s?”</p><p>Chloé blushed slightly and shrugged. “I don’t know, I guess so? Who knows. They were the closest bakery, that’s all. You want a pastry or not?”</p><p>While Juleka was continually questioning the logic of what was happening, she had to admit; it was damn hard to turn down a pastry from the Dupain-Cheng bakery. With a shrug, she plopped down beside Chloé and helped herself to a cranberry muffin.</p><p>“So,” Chloé said between bites of a chocolate eclair. “As you have undoubtedly noticed, I am a full-fledged superhero.”</p><p>Juleka shrugged. “Whoop-de-doo for you.”</p><p>“And as such,” Chloé continued, “it is my duty to right any wrongs I may encounter. So, are you ready to talk about Nathaniel and Rose?”</p><p>Chloé already knew what Juleka was going to say. After all, she had been getting her things from her locker when she saw Nathaniel approach Rose, a flower in his hand and a bush on his cheeks. While she hadn’t overheard everything, she had definitely heard him saying something about the Spring formal. She had also seen Juleka standing right behind him, her face pale with shock as Rose hesitantly took the flower he was offering.</p><p>Chloé then headed off to tend herself in the ladies’ room. At the time, she had shrugged it off. It wasn’t her problem, after all.</p><p>However, this was Paris. You <em>couldn’t</em> get upset in Paris. It tended to make the news if you did.</p><p>“I just…” Juleka said in a small voice. “I assumed that, um, you know. She would, um, well…”</p><p>Juleka shot an uncomfortable look to Chloé, who blinked in confusion before the reason for Juleka’s discomfort dawned on her.</p><p>“Oh <em>please</em>. You think I’m going to judge you about that? Honey, my mother works in the fashion industry. If I’m going to say anything, it’ll be about that nightmare of a shirt. Besides,” Chloé said as she polished off her eclair, “it’s not like you two are subtle.”</p><p>Juleka went beet red. “We weren’t ashamed or anything, but we, um, never knew how everyone would react. We just didn’t want to make anyone uncomfortable.”</p><p>Chloé let out a laugh. “You turned into a monster that made clones of yourself, hunted me down and shot me point blank. Your girlfriend possessed my entire hotel when she was Princess Fragrance. Our teacher possessed all of Paris trying to zombie kiss me on the Eiffel Tower. <em>That</em> is what passes for uncomfortable these days.”</p><p>Juleka looked at Chloé as though she were seeing the blonde for the first time. “I just assumed you would, um, not be cool, is all.”</p><p>Chloé picked a scone out of the box and devoured it. “Please, didn’t you know? I’m Chloé Bourgeois. I’m the coolest bitch in Paris.”</p><p>Juleka snickered and found herself starting to relax. This was different. She wasn’t sure if it was nice, but it definitely felt good to be talking about things, even if she was opening up to Chloé, of all people.</p><p>“I just assumed we’d go together,” Juleka said in a forlorn voice. “I guess… Did I get complacent? Should I have come out and asked her? Did I not pay enough attention to her?”</p><p>Chloé doubted that. She honestly couldn’t recall seeing one without the other. Truth be told, it had confused her, too. Rose had always seemed head over heels for Juleka, so seeing her accept Nathaniel’s gift threw her for a bit of a loop. If she had been Marinette, she already would have had a plan in place to confront both girls about their feelings.</p><p>However, she was <em>not</em> Marinette.</p><p>“So, she’s moved on to greener pastures that can color coordinate and draw better,” Chloé said with a shrug. “Screw her. Find someone else and rub her damn face in it. You’re…” She looked Juleka up and down. “…Female. I’m sure we could find you someone. Somewhere.”</p><p>Juleka set her muffin down and put her face in her hands. “You don’t understand. She was… She wasn’t just…”</p><p>“She was your best friend.”</p><p>Juleka looked to Chloé, but Chloé was focused elsewhere.</p><p>“You spent all your time with her, confided in her, trusted her. Oh, sure, you were a bit bossy to her, maybe pushed her around a little, told her what to do, but she liked it, right? That was your thing. You got the yoyo, she put on the cat suit, and you just clicked.”</p><p>Juleka was watching Chloé with eyes the size of dinner plates. “Uhhh, cat suit?”</p><p>Chloé froze and turned beet red. “Never mind. We’re focusing on you.”</p><p>Juleka shrugged it off. “I mean, yeah, I guess? She was, is my best friend? She was just…”</p><p>“Always there.”</p><p>Juleka shot Chloé some side-eye. “Okay, seriously? Stop doing that.”</p><p>Chloé nodded. “Right. Okay. I am a hero and I am going to help you. Because that’s what being a hero is all about. Helping those less fortunate and good-looking. You qualify.”</p><p>Juleka stared at Chloé. “Um, seriously? And could you please not toss in an insult each time you address me?”</p><p>Chloé grinned. “Seriously, and no, I cannot. It’s part of the power set. Look,” She said as she finished off her pastry. “While I’m not the best at friendship, I do know a thing or two about manipulation. You want Rose back? I can make it happen.”</p><p>Juleka ignored the small voice in her head that said she was making a deal with the devil. She moved her purple hair out of her eyes. “Really?”</p><p>Chloé nodded and smiled. “Please. This is child’s play for me.”</p><p>“What’s in it for you?”</p><p><em>‘Yeah, that’s a fair response</em>’, Chloé thought.</p><p>Chloé shrugged. “Let’s just say that you’ll owe me. I like having favors, and it would make my day to have one from you.”</p><p>Juleka fidgeted as she considered it. “I don’t know,” she finally said. “I don’t really trust you, to be honest.”</p><p>“I hear you, and that is a smart decision on your part,” Chloé said, “but here’s the thing. I am not in the mood to fight an akuma monster today, and you’re so mopey that I bet Hawkmoth is doing a jig in his secret lair at the thought of possessing you again. So, make no mistake; this is in no way an act of friendship. I’m helping you to avoid work, plain and simple.”</p><p>Juleka frowned and hugged herself. “You think I’m that bad?”</p><p>“I know you’re that bad. The question is are you going to continue to mope, or are you going to let me do my thing?”</p><p>“Are you sure you’re not just projecting on me?”</p><p>Chloé sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. A stress headache was coming on. “Just eat your goddamn muffin and let me work.”</p><p>***</p><p>Juleka didn’t know what Chloé had in mind when she came to school the next morning. She had been plagued with nightmares about it, only to wake up to several missed calls, all from Rose.</p><p>“Maybe you should just talk to her,” Luka said that morning as she was getting ready for school. He was perched in the corner of her room, strumming a tune that was coming to him as he went.</p><p>Juleka looked at herself in the mirror and frowned. “Luka, do you think I’m pretty?”</p><p>“Of course,” he said without hesitation. He strummed a soft but upbeat tune on his guitar. “You’re gorgeous, but that’s not what makes people notice you. You’ve got a good soul, and that tends to shine through.”</p><p>Juleka snorted at that. “Seriously?”</p><p>Luka hopped down from his perch and came up behind her. He wrapped his arms around her and gave her a hug. “Seriously. I’m proud that you’re my sister. You may be quiet, but still waters run deep. And trust me, you’ve got a raging current in your heart.”</p><p>Juleka blushed and shooed him away. “I’m gonna be late for school.”</p><p>She grabbed her bag and moved her hair out of her eyes for a moment to look back at her brother. “Hey, Luka?”</p><p>He had been walking back to his guitar, but he stopped to turn and face her. “Yeah, sis?”</p><p>“…That was really sweet. Thanks.”</p><p>Luka smiled and gave her a playful salute. “All in the line of duty, ma’am.”</p><p>Juleka left feeling a little bit better. Some girls had brothers that put frogs down their shirts. She had the best brother on the planet, and she knew it.</p><p>Now, if only she could get Marinette to pull her head out of her butt for five seconds and see how awesome he was, maybe then she’d stop pining for Adrien and hook up with someone who actually noticed her. Her bro would be happy, Marinette would stop going on about Adrien, it was a win-win.</p><p>Juleka shook that thought out of her head. This wasn’t the time to focus on that. That was her summer project.</p><p>Juleka stared at her phone as she walked into school, considering things. She knew that maybe she had overreacted. Maybe she should have just talked to Rose?</p><p>“She could be calling to let you down,” A tiny floating Chloé said from her left shoulder. Juleka grumbled as she made her way to her locker.</p><p>“Or, she could be trying to explain everything to you!” A tiny floating Marinette said from her right shoulder.</p><p>Inwardly, Juleka wondered why she hadn’t just gone to Marinette in the first place. While that girl’s own love life was a bonafide train wreck, she had a knack for helping others.</p><p>“It’s never too late,” Tiny Marinette cooed. “Just go up to her and talk to her. She’s your friend! She’ll listen to you!”</p><p>“The Hell she will!” Tiny Chloé scoffed. “Tiny Marinette is being ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous! You walk up to Rose and she’ll let you know what’s up, alright. She’ll grab Nathaniel and start lip locking with him right there in the middle of the hall. She’ll be all, ‘Draw me like one of your American girls!’ And he’ll be all, ‘Mmm, yeah, that’s the stuff.’”</p><p>To emphasize this point, Tiny Chloé spun around, hugged herself, and started making kissing noises.</p><p>“That’s not true!” Tiny Marinette shouted. “Rose would never act like that and you know it!”</p><p>“The <em>fuck</em> do you know, prude?” Tiny Chloé scoffed. “You pulling on experiences from your own love life? I’d ask if you made it to first base with Adrien, but you can’t even get your ass out of the batter’s box!”</p><p>“You stupid, yellow tart! Say something about my love life again and I will <em>fucking</em> break you!”</p><p>“Oh, bring it, bitch! I’ve been waiting. Pollen, buzz on!”</p><p>Tiny Marinette in turn let out a primal roar and transformed into a miniature, floating Ladybug.</p><p>Juleka let out a tired sigh as her imagination proceeded to beat the crap out of itself. As per usual, she ignored the fact that she always ended up seeing Marinette as Ladybug. It was just one of those things for her, kind of like a moving eye picture. Once you saw it, you couldn’t <em>un</em>see it.</p><p>Unlike most of Paris, though, Marinette’s extracurricular activities didn’t concern Jukela in the slightest. Honestly, if Marinette wasn’t comfortable talking about it, Juleka wasn’t about to push things. Girl was entitled to her own life, after all.</p><p>Juleka completely forgot about her imagination as she rounded the corner and her jaw hit the floor. Her locker.</p><p>Her LOCKER.</p><p>It was covered in hearts. Now, when I say covered, I don’t mean a few, or a dozen, or two dozen.</p><p>Oh no. I mean the literal definition of covered.</p><p>Some were big, some were small, many of them had frilly lace surrounding them, and all of them were a deep red that made Juleka feel embarrassed just by proxy. There was also a bouquet of roses jammed in the door handle and a note adorned with little hearts and reeking so badly of cologne that Juleka was gagging, even from across the room.</p><p>From beside her, she heard the real Marinette’s voice. “Um, wow. It looks like you’ve got quite the admirer, Juleka.”</p><p>Juleka nodded, eyes wide as she looked off to the side. There was Chloé, not so subtly giving her a thumbs up and winking like she was having a stroke.</p><p>“Yeah,” Juleka said in a detached voice. “I, um, wow. This is a bit much.”</p><p>She slowly approached the locker as though it were a spring-loaded trap, which let’s be real here? This was entirely possible at this point. Chloé did nothing halfway. Cautiously, Juleka took the card from the front of the locker and opened it up. She was so stunned that she didn’t realize she was reading it out loud.</p><p>“My dearest love,” she mumbled. “My heart yearns for you. My soul aches for you. My body hungers for you. I want you in my arms, your eyes, your thoughts on me. Say you’ll be my date for the spring formal. Love, you-know-who. PS, Last night was amazing and I can’t wait to see you again. Wait, what?”</p><p>Juleka shot Chloé a look. Chloé was busy pulling her fist back in a move that screamed,<em> ‘Nailed it!’</em></p><p>Before Juleka could say anything, she heard a small voice behind her.</p><p>“Juleka?”</p><p>Juleka felt like a current had ripped through her. She spun around to see Rose standing beside Marinette not three feet away. She was staring at the letter in Juleka’s hand. Tears were forming in her eyes.</p><p>“I guess,” Rose sniffed. “I guess that’s why you weren’t answering your phone. I’m so happy for… For…” Rose burst out in a wail and charged for the restroom, Alya and Marinette hot on her heels.</p><p>“Rose, wait!” Juleka cried out after her, but it was too late. They were already inside.</p><p>“It’s not… What you think.”</p><p>Alix, who had arrived in time for the reading, stepped around Juleka to get her books from her locker. She blew a bubble, popped it, and shook her head. “Man, most I ever got after a wild night out was a text. Go you.”</p><p>Juleka crumpled the letter in her hands. She turned to her locker and proceeded to rip everything off it. Flowers and hearts went flying as a teary-eyed Juleka shredded all of Chloé’s hard work in a matter of seconds.</p><p>Chloé gave a harrumph noise and stormed off. “See if I help you again,” she grumbled.</p><p>“Dude,” Alix said, concerned. “You didn’t have to do that.”</p><p>“Yes, I did.” Juleka wiped away the tears forming in her eyes and turned her attention to the restroom. “Okay, no more screwing around. Time to make this right.”</p><p>She started marching for the bathroom door, but just then, the door opened. Marinette and Alya came out and stood at either side, stock still.</p><p>“Uh, guys?” Alix asked, confused. “What are you doing?”</p><p>Marinette held the door open as Rose emerged.</p><p>Only it wasn’t Rose.</p><p>“Thank you, Princess Fragrance,” both girls chimed.</p><p>Alix grabbed a stunned Juleka and started dragging her away as fast as she could, shouting, “ShitshitshitshitSHITAKUMA ALEEEEERRRRRRT!”</p><p>Juleka looked from Alix back to Rose. The twisted color pallet that was Princess Fragrance made Juleka sick to her stomach. “I did this to her,” she said in a horrified voice. “This was my fault. This was all my fault!”</p><p>They ran as fast as they could for the classroom. Princess Fragrance was spraying everyone in sight, and they in turn were dragging others to their colorful master.</p><p>“We need to get out of here,” Juleka said as Alix shoved her into the classroom.</p><p>“We need to get to safety. The exits on the other side of them, remember?” Alix said as she slammed the door.</p><p>***</p><p>Caline Bustier was doing her best to stay focused in class. It was early, and while normally her students would just shuffle in and self-occupy, this was the one morning when several of them decided to come early to ask her questions about their timeline projects on the history of automation.</p><p>Of course, it was also the morning after a hot date.</p><p>Okay, real talk. It wasn’t all that hot.</p><p>Okay, real, real talk. It was a bottle of schnapps and a rotisserie chicken while watching the Hallmark channel with her stuffed bear, Mr. Bearitone. Her tinder match had failed to show, but I assure you she will never, ever admit to using that app, so the party line is the things that happened were things that were planned.</p><p>Ms. Bustier looked up from the hand-drawn timelines in front of her, cursed at the noise under her breath and shot the girls her best withering teacher glare. “Girls? You know my policy about slamming doors.”</p><p>“Akuma alert!” Alix said as she grabbed Nino’s desk and started dragging it to the door.</p><p>Ms. Bustier nodded, her headache screaming behind her eyes. “Right then. Slam away. Nino, help her with that door!”</p><p>The class panicked and started screaming. Kim was leaping over tables to go help Nino, who was joined by Adrien as desks were piled up. From the other side of the door, they could hear pounding, moaning, and on top of all of it, Rose’s voice.</p><p>“Oh Juleka?” Not-Rose called out. “Come out and see me, won’t you dear? I want to congratulate you on your hot date. Come out, come out, little mousey!”</p><p>“We need more desks!” Adrien shouted to the class. Ms. Bustier was shoving her teacher’s desk up to the door as well.</p><p>“Does anyone know what caused this?” Caline called out. Honestly, it wasn’t like this was a new thing, but it was always a little bit scary when students turned into monsters. Especially when they seemed to be after other students.</p><p>“I do,” Juleka said. She advanced on Chloé, who was at her seat, checking her nails. Chloé barely had time to let out a ‘meep’ before Juleka grabbed her by the collar, pulled her out of her chair and slammed her against the wall.</p><p>“Why?!” Juleka shouted in Chloé’s face. “Why would you do this to her?”</p><p>“You told me you wanted my help!” Chloé said with a scowl. She forcefully swatted Juleka’s hands away from her and then adjusted her clothing. “I told you how I work. Honestly, this is all just ridiculous. Nothing about this morning should have been a surprise. Oh, and you’re welcome.”</p><p>“This isn’t what we discussed!” Juleka cried out. You said… You said you’d help me, not do,” she gestured wildly to the door. “This!”</p><p>Chloé crossed her arms and looked away. “This is how I help. This is me helping. I told you, I know how to manipulate. This,” she gestured to the door. “This is manipulation in action. Seriously, you should have known better. This was the most likely outcome when coming to me for help with relationships, and you know it.”</p><p>Adrien looked over his shoulder as he, Nino, and Kim were busy holding the desks in place. From the other side of the door, a rhythmic pounding could be heard.</p><p>“She’s kind of got a point, Juleka!” Adrien called out.</p><p>“This does feel like her version of helping,” Nino agreed as he put his shoulder into the pile of desks. “Oh man, I think she got Ivan.”</p><p>“I can take him,” Kim said as he pushed back against the desks.</p><p>“No, you can’t,” Adrien and Nino said at the same time.</p><p>“Yeah, I can,” Kim said with a pout.</p><p>Caline put a calming hand on Kim’s shoulder. “Kim, honey? No offense, but they’re right; he would eat you.” She turned to Chloé. “So, as the only publicly outed superhero in the room, what are you going to do to help fix this?”</p><p>Unnoticed by all, Adrien’s right eye twitched. A small snicker could be heard from his shirt pocket, if anyone had been listening, that is.</p><p>Chloé looked at the door, and then at the window. “God, I suppose. Pollen, buzz on!” A bath of yellow light flashed over Chloé as she transformed. Wasting no time, she leapt to the windowsill, flung it open, and then used her yoyo-top to cast a line down to the street.</p><p>“Come on, let’s move it. I haven’t got all day,” Chloé hissed.</p><p>Chloé may have been acting indifferent, but truth be known, she was scared. These were her friends and this whole situation really was her fault. She knew that, and she also knew that she had royally messed up concerning Rose. Oh, and worst of all?</p><p>She had absolutely no idea how she was going to fix this.</p><p>One by one, the students in the classroom grabbed the line and slid down. Chloé guided them all until the next student was Sabrina.</p><p>They stared at each other for a moment, both unsure of what to say.</p><p>Sabrina broke first. “This was because of something you did.” It was more of a statement than a question.</p><p>Chloé looked off to the side and didn’t answer. She could feel Sabrina’s glare on her as the smaller girl grabbed the line and proceeded to slide to safety.</p><p>Juleka saw the look on Chloé’s face and felt a lot of her anger dissipate. She remembered Chloé’s words at the park.</p><p>A crash from behind snapped her back to reality. She spun to see Ms. Bustier, Nino, and Adrien still holding the barricade, but it was slowly scooting them backwards.</p><p>“Nino,” Adrien said as he kept shoving against the desks. “Go on, I’ve got this.”</p><p>“Dude, I’m not leaving you behind.”</p><p>“You need to get out of here!” Adrien shouted.</p><p>“Dude I can’t abandon you! You’re my main dude!”</p><p>“I get that, but you need to get the Hell out!” Adrien begged.</p><p>“Why should I?” Nino snapped back. “Bros before…” He glanced to Ms. Bustier, who was right beside him, also pushing against the desks.</p><p>“Go ahead,” Caline said in her calmest voice. “Finish that sentence.”</p><p>“…Before akumas?” Nino whimpered weakly.</p><p>Caline sighed. “Look, I can hold them for a bit, and you’re both my responsibility. Go now. Chloé and I will follow.”</p><p>“Adrien shot a panicked look to his teacher. “But…”</p><p>“GO GODDAMNIT!” Caline shouted.</p><p>The boys ran.</p><p>Caline sighed. Her headache did <em>not</em> need this today.</p><p>As soon as they were down, Chloé flicked her wrist and brought her top back to her hand. “So, I can use my sting, but only once,” Chloé said as she joined Caline against the barricade. “That doesn’t help us in a situation like this.”</p><p>“Is this Rose?” Caline asked. “Did you do something to her?”</p><p>“Not directly, per say,” Chloé said. “Juleka and her were on the outs. I was trying to help them!”</p><p>The desks bulged against them, but the two women held their ground.</p><p>“Any idea on where Ladybug might be?” Caline asked.</p><p>Chloé shook her head. “They got her, first. She’s not gonna be any help here.”</p><p>“Wait,” Caline said as she blinked. “You know who she is?”</p><p>Chloé looked to Caline and read her face in an instant. “You do, too?!”</p><p>They were both distracted by the sound of a scuffle from the other side of the door. Then suddenly, all pressure against the barricade stopped. The two ladies looked at each other for a moment in confusion until they heard a familiar, somewhat cocky voice from the other side call out, “Now would be a purrfect time to get the heck out of there!”</p><p>Chloé and Caline quickly moved the desks out of the way to reveal a grinning Chat Noir. He was leaning on his staff and covering his mouth in a yawn.</p><p>“Hey, Queen Bee. Don’t suppose you’re up for some akuma fighting?”</p><p>Chloé put her hand on her hip and chuckled. “Please, kitty cat. If you needed my help so bad, you should have just asked.”</p><p>Both heroes then turned to Caline, who was busy looking up and down the hall. She saw numerous students, including Ivan, knocked out and sprawled on the floor.</p><p>“I don’t see her,” Caline mumbled as Chloé took her arm.</p><p>“Chat Noir,” Chloé said. “I’ll get Ms. Bustier to safety. You hold off Princess Fragrance’s soldiers until Ladybug gets here.”</p><p>“Sounds like a plan to me,” Chat said with a wink. He kicked his staff, twirled it in his hand and then charged down the hallway. At the far end, several students were scrambling around the corner towards him, arms outstretched.</p><p>Chloé started to lead Caline to safety, but Caline grabbed Chloé’s arm and pulled her off to the side. Chloé gave a surprised yelp as Caline scooted her around a corner and said, “Do you think you can get to Marinette?”</p><p>Chloé looked around the corner at Chat Noir as he proceeded to fight off five possessed students. “I mean, probably? If she’s all zombified it shouldn’t be impossible.”</p><p>“I need you to find her,” Caline said frantically.</p><p>Chloé glanced back to Caline and considered how tactful she wanted to be at the moment, which it turns out, was not at all.</p><p>“She won’t be able to transform and fix this if she’s been possessed, if that’s what you’re asking. She’s basically going to be a zombie until we get this whole thing to blow over.” She looked around the corner at Chat as he clobbered another student. Three more took the poor kid’s place. “If this blows over.”</p><p>“Can you get me her earrings?” Caline asked.</p><p>Chloé raised an eyebrow at that. “Why in God’s name would you want those tacky, clashing, red and blaoooohhh I see where you’re going. Um, yeah. Sure. Why not?”</p><p>Caline nodded. “Okay. Okay. Get them and bring them to my office. Second floor. You do this and I swear, you’ll get an A on the next physics test. I don’t care if you draw two dogs kissing on the scan tron. You get an A. Got it?”</p><p>Chloé flipped her hair back and shot Caline a proud smirk. “Please. Just because I make others do things for me does not mean I’m incapable. You’ll get your earrings,” she said as she stretched and took a deep breath. “I don’t need your help for an A.”</p><p>And with that, Chloé bolted around the corner towards Chat Noir. She leapfrogged over his head, kicked someone in the face (Caline flinched; it looked like Max), and somersaulted over a group of possessed kids to make a perfect landing before taking off around the corner and out of sight.</p><p>Caline turned and raced for the second floor. She honestly didn’t know if Chloé was up to the task, but at that moment, the cocky superhero was her only hope.</p><p>She ran as fast as she could until she got to her office. Thankfully, the hallway was, for the moment, abandoned. She slipped into her office and locked the door, and only then did she collapse in her pink chase to hyperventilate. She had been through nearly a dozen akuma attacks, but the ones where the bad guy had a horde of soldiers were always the scariest.</p><p>Inwardly, Caline felt a pang of guilt.<em> ‘Is this how I made everyone feel when I was akumatized?’</em> She wondered to herself. Angrily, she shook it off.</p><p>“No,” she said out loud. “I didn’t do anything. Rose isn’t doing anything, either. This is Hawkmoth. This is all Hawkmoth.”</p><p>At that moment, the all-school announcement chime came over the loudspeaker. Caline listened as Rose’s voice drifted throughout the school.</p><p>“Hey Juleka,” Rose said, stretching her words out as she spoke. “You know, maybe I went a little off the handle earlier. Howsabout we talk things over, just you and me? Meet me in the gymnasium. It’ll be fun, I promise. And if you can’t come for whatever reason? Don’t worry, my little helpers will escort you, won’t you everyone?”</p><p>Caline heard voices call out from outside her office and down the hall.</p><p>“Yes, Princess Fragrance.”</p><p>“Toodles!” Rose signed off.</p><p>Caline sighed to herself. “This is my fault,” she muttered. “These kids are my responsibility, and I let one of them down to the point that they were akumatized. Again!”</p><p>Caline sighed and looked over at the Ladybug and Chat Noir poster on her wall.</p><p>“This is why I drink, I’ll have you two know,” she said. “And now one of you is possessed and the other is in my school fighting my kids for his life and I’m stuck here. I swear, if I ever find out who Hawkmoth is…”</p><p>Caline was so focused on feeling vengeful to the mysterious Parisian criminal that she jumped when she heard a panicked knock come from her door.</p><p>Chloé’s voice came from the other side as the handle jiggled violently. “Open the door. OPEN THE DOOR RIGHT NOW PLEASE!”</p><p>Caline quickly unlocked the door and ushered Chloé inside. Her costume was a bit torn and she was breathing heavy, but Caline noticed that Chloé had something clutched in her left hand.</p><p>“Here’s… Your stupid… Earrings,” Chloé said as she collapsed on the chase. She half handed, half threw them at Caline, who awkwardly caught them.</p><p>“Are you okay?” Caline asked as she instantly started hovering over Chloé. The poor girl was a mess. Her costume looked ripped (Caline didn’t know they <em>could</em> be ripped), and she looked like she was bruised. Caline went to the mini fridge behind her desk and fished out an ice pack. Chloé muttered a thank you as she put it over her eye.</p><p>“Pollen, buzz off,” she mumbled. A flash of yellow light later, and Chloé was back to normal. She opened her good eye to see Pollen, who she caught with her free hand and gently set down beside her. “Ms. Bustier, do you have any snacks?”</p><p>Caline fished some cookies out of her desk and passed them to the hungry kwami. “Thank you, ma’am,” Pollen said before greedily devouring the snack.</p><p><em>‘Oh wow, hers is cute, too,’</em> Caline said. She would not hug Pollen. Nope.</p><p>“So, it turns out,” Chloé said with her eyes shut. The ice pack felt lovely right now and she wanted to savor it. “Marinette? Sweet, kind Marinette? She, um, she knows how to fight. Like, full-on MMA fight. She… Has been holding back… For years. My respect for her just went through the roof, but please don’t tell her that.”</p><p>Caline smiled a bit as she checked Chloé over and gave her hair a reassuring tussle. "You did good, kiddo.”</p><p>Chloé blushed. “Of course I did,” she mumbled from under the ice pack. Caline was about to brush it off when Chloé added, “you asked me to.”</p><p>Caline paused.</p><p>“What dear?”</p><p>Chloé looked like she was sinking a bit in her seat.</p><p>“I said you asked me to do it!” Chloé weakly yelled. “If you asked me to go out there and take down every single student in the school, I’d do it. Not because it’d make me feel better or because I want to beat them up. I’d do it because <em>you</em> asked. I’d do…” Chloé trailed off, letting the thought die on her lips.</p><p>Caline stared. “Chloé? Are you feeling okay?”</p><p>Caline was caught unprepared for what happened next.</p><p>Chloé started sniffling.</p><p>“You’re the best adult in my life right now,” Chloé said. “You’re always there for me. You listen to me. When I get my papers back, you always take the time to give me feedback afterwards. You don’t act afraid of me or like I make you uncomfortable. You always have something wonderful to say about all of us. You <em>listen</em> to me.”</p><p>Caline noted that Chloé said that one twice. “Chloé? Sweetie, aside from, you know, <em>today</em>, is everything okay?”</p><p>Chloé set the ice pack down and hugged herself. “I got my job back as a hero, but I still don’t know how to be a nice person, but, I’m trying, dammit! I’m trying and I keep messing it up! Today happened because of me. I tried to help Juleka and I couldn’t stop insulting her. I tried to get her and Rose back together and I ended up getting the sweetest girl in school akumatized. Seriously! Rose is a walking Hallmark card, and I got her upset enough to be akumatized! I can save a bus full of people, but I can’t do something simple like this. I’m… I’m not like you.”</p><p>Caline scooted Chloé over a bit and sat on the chase beside her. She put her arm around Chloé and gave her a hug.</p><p>“I just keep going back to what I know,” Chloé said in a softer voice. “I know how to be mean, so I kinda default to that. I just… I don’t think I know how to just be a person.”</p><p>Caline shook her head. “You’re fine the way you are. No one can be nice and kind all the time, sweetie.”</p><p>Chloé snorted at that. “Marinette can. Rose can.”</p><p>Caline shrugged. “Marinette curses people out over video games. Rose is currently a super-villain. We all have our faults.”</p><p>Chloé finally laughed at that.</p><p>“Okay, so yes,” Caline continued. “Some not too great things happened today. You know what else happened?”</p><p>Chloé glanced to Caline and said, “No?”</p><p>“Well,” Caline said as she held her student. “You tried to do something good for someone in your own, special way. You got the class to safety. You protected me. You did all of that, Chloé, and you did great.”</p><p>Chloé murmured, “You talk to me better than my mom ever has.”</p><p>Caline wrapped Chloé up in a huge hug and held her tight. “Today has been so hard!” Chloé softly sobbed into Caline’s shoulder. “I just wanted to do this right and I screwed it, and you’re still so damn nice to me!”</p><p>Caline let herself laugh at that. “Chloé? Everyone screws up, especially me.”</p><p>“No, you don’t! You’re perfect!”</p><p>Caline took a deep breath. “I got stood up on a date last night and ate an entire rotisserie chicken from the store to console myself.”</p><p>“Is that why you smell like schnapps?”</p><p>Caline stiffened.</p><p>“It’s cool,” Chloé said. “I get it. My mom drinks, too.” Chloé sniffed. “So, what’s his name? I’ll beat him up for you.”</p><p>Caline smiled and shook her head. “Honey, everyone messes up. Everyone has bad days. What defines us is how we react.”</p><p>“See?!” Chloé said, her face still buried in Caline’s shoulder. “You can’t stop being nice to me. You’re always…” Chloé mumbled something.</p><p>“Chloé?” Caline asked.</p><p>In the quietest voice she had within her, Chloé said, “I wish you were my mom.”</p><p>Caline held Chloé and didn’t speak. She only stopped when they both heard a tiny voice clear its throat.</p><p>Caline gently let go of Chloé, who sat up, wiped her face, and set her look back to classic Chloé. “Um, thanks for that,” she mumbled without looking Caline in the eye.</p><p>“Anytime, kiddo,” Caline said.</p><p>Floating in front of them was Tikki. Caline glanced to the earrings and thought, <em>‘Oh yeah.’</em></p><p>“Hi,” Tikki said with a wave. “So, yeah. This is not how I saw today going at all.”</p><p>Chloé cast a glance towards Tikki. “That’s her kwami, huh?”</p><p>Tikki shot a look towards Chloé. “You know, this whole situation is all your fault. You could do more, you know.”</p><p>“Tikki, enough.” Caline said in her stern-teacher voice. “That isn’t helpful, and Chloé has been doing great.”</p><p>Chloé blushed a little at the compliment. “I got her the earrings, didn’t I?” Chloé gestured to Caline, who was busy putting said earrings in. “I did my job and you’re not my boss, so back off, bug.”</p><p>Tikki looked like she wanted to say something more, but then sighed. “I’m sorry. I’m just concerned for Marinette, that’s all.”</p><p>“Okay, I think I remember how to do this,” Caline said. She was trying to stay calm, but inside, she was practically hopping up and down.</p><p>“Tikki, spots on!”</p><p>A familiar wave of red washed over Caline, and just like that, she was back in the outfit she remembered. It was a perfect copy of Marinette’s, save for the addition of a light red jacket. Caline looked down and smiled. “Hello there, beautiful,” she murmured.</p><p>Chloé would never admit it in a million years, but she thought the jacket was pretty rad.</p><p>“Pollen, buzz on!” Chloé commanded. A flash of yellow light later, and Queen Bee was back, her costume completely repaired. “So, like, do you have a plan, or were you just eager to play dress up?” Chloé asked.</p><p>Caline thought about it for a second. “Well, now we can get rid of the akuma, so that’s a start. Rose is in the gym, but we need to get to her without hurting the other students.”</p><p>Chloé shrugged. “I mean, if you really want to, sure? If we win and you throw your charm, they won’t remember anything, so if you’ve got some pent-up aggression, go nuts.”</p><p>Like Chloé, there were things Caline would never admit to.</p><p>“…No. Let’s stick to the plan. Get to Rose, find the akuma, put things right.”</p><p>Someone pounded on the office door. Chloé raised an eyebrow. “you wanna do the lucky charm thing now or later?”</p><p>Caline shrugged. “Might as well. Lucky charm!” Caline yelled as she threw her yoyo up in the air. A barrette came down in her hands.</p><p>Chloé looked at the hair clip and blinked in confusion. “Whelp, New Ladybug is just as useless as Ladybug Classic. I’m off to the gym. Gonna work out some issues.” Chloé cracked her knuckles and reached for the door. She paused before opening it and looked back to Caline. “I meant every word I just said, by the way. You’re better than my mom will ever be.”</p><p>“Chloé,” Caline began.</p><p>“I’d fight through Hell for you, just so you know,” Chloé said with a smirk. She then opened the door before Caline could stop her. With a primal scream, Chloé dove into battle, fighting back the group of possessed students that had gathered in the hallway.</p><p>Caline watched her go and then did her best to focus. She had a job to do. Caline stared at the hair clip in her hand and thought about it. Then, her eyes went wide.</p><p>There was one student that every day, Caline wished would pin up their hair so she could see their eyes when they spoke. She looked to her tiny window and nodded.</p><p>“Okay,” she said. “Let’s get us an escort.”</p><p>***</p><p>Juleka was standing outside near a fire engine, sipping a hot cocoa and giving a statement when Caline landed right beside her. Juleka was so startled, she jumped, spilling her cocoa on the student next to her.</p><p>“Dude!” Nino shouted in surprise, his headphones now ruined.</p><p>“Sorry everyone,” Caline said as she scooped an arm around Juleka’s waist and threw her yoyo towards the school roof. “I need to borrow this kiddo, but I promise I’ll have her back soon.”</p><p>The surrounding students promptly lost their minds.</p><p>“Dude!”</p><p>“Holy crap!”</p><p>“You’re Mamabug!”</p><p>“I love your jacket!”</p><p>Caline grinned.</p><p>“Hang on, Juleka,” Caline said as she gave the yoyo a tug. In a flash, they were flying through the air, only to land gracefully on the roof of the school.</p><p>Caline glanced down at Juleka, who was clutching her tightly with her eyes shut. “Hey there,” Caline said softly. “Sorry about that, but I need your help. Are you okay?”</p><p>Juleka opened her eyes and took in the sight of Caline as Mamabug for a minute before nodding.</p><p>“Yeah, um, I’m okay. What do you need me to do?”</p><p>Juleka pointed to the skylight that covered the gym. “Rose is down there. She wants to talk to you,” Caline said. “If the others and I charge in there, she’ll swarm us with her soldiers and spray us, but if you’re there, she might be distracted enough for us to get close to her.”</p><p>Juleka looked to the skylight. Caline suddenly felt a wave of guilt wash over her. She took Juleka by the shoulder and said, “listen. I won’t make you do anything. I know I’m asking a lot, and I know it’s scary. This was the best plan I could come up with on short notice, but if it’s too much, I’ll think of something else, okay?”</p><p>Juleka shook her head no. “Rose is like this because of me.”</p><p>Caline blinked. “I thought that Chloé was responsible for this…”</p><p>Juleka shot Caline a questioning look. Caline suddenly realized how much she had just given away right then. Juleka took her in for a minute and then shook her head. She closed her eyes and with a small smile, murmured, “right.”</p><p>Before Caline could respond, Juleka continued. “I did this to her,” she said, a bit of steel creeping into her voice. “I was the one who was too afraid to just talk to her, and because of that, she’s been akumatized.” She looked to Caline. “What do you need me to do?”</p><p>***</p><p>Chat Noir and Queen Bee were busy fighting through a horde of classmates. It was always unsettling for Chat to have to be in these situations. He valued having friends and he valued other people in general, and for him, punching people that he knew on a daily basis wasn’t as cathartic as one might think.</p><p>“Nice of you to join me, my Queen,” Chat called over to Chloé. She decked a classmate and flung the poor girl over her shoulder, knocking her out cold. </p><p>“I couldn’t let you have all the fun, puddy tat.”</p><p>“Any word from our backup?” Chat called over to Chloé. She was now busy using her top to crash into charging students as they came down the hall, and so far, she had built up a nice little pile of unconscious bodies.</p><p>“Not yet, but give her a minute. Lucky Charms take time.”</p><p>Chloé blinked as a familiar red yoyo flew right beside her head and took out Principal Damocles, who had been charging her while wearing his Owl costume. The possessed man went flying backwards and bounced on the ground.</p><p>Chloé turned and grinned. “Admit it, that felt good.”</p><p>Caline brought the yoyo back to her hand. “Little bit,” Caline said. She had always disliked her boss’s propensity to dress like a bird and hoot at her while on the clock.</p><p>Chat Noir glanced over to see Caline in a fighting stance with Juleka behind her.</p><p>“Um, hey,” Chat Noir said as he ran a hand through his hair. “Sooo, how’ve you been?”</p><p>Caline rolled her eyes. “Kid, please. Pack it in. I’m old enough to be… You know what, I don’t want to finish that sentence. HEY! ZOMBIES!”</p><p>The people in the hall froze.</p><p>Caline stood off to the side and gestured to Juleka. “Here she is, and she’ll come quietly if you all stop fighting. So please, lead the way.”</p><p>Instantly, the charging stopped. Juleka shrank back as Marinette and Alya came forward. Chloé cursed under her breath that she hadn’t had just a couple more minutes, but let it go. The two possessed classmates came to either side of Juleka and gently took her by the arm. “This way to Princess Fragrance,” they said in unison.</p><p>The three heroes nodded to Juleka and started walking with her, ready to strike if needed. The possessed students seemed to have calmed down now that their quarry was coming along willingly.</p><p>“What now?” Chat Noir asked.</p><p>Caline took several black dots out of her yoyo and handed one to each hero, who in turn put them in their ears. Caline fitted her own and said, “Okay, we need to be in sync on this or we’ll get possessed.”</p><p>Chloé pointed at the girls with her thumb. “Um, should we be discussing strategy in front of them?”</p><p>Chat thought about it and extended his pole. He waved it in front of Marinette, who didn’t even blink. “I think we’re okay. They seem to be operating on command-only.”</p><p>Caline nodded in agreement. “Here’s the plan. Chat Noir, head to the east boiler room and be ready to use your cataclysm on the ceiling. Queen Bee, I want you to go around to the cafeteria entrance to the gym. Be ready to swoop in and get Juleka out of there on my mark.”</p><p>“What about you?” Chat Noir asked.</p><p>“I’m going after the akuma,” Caline said. “We do this hard and fast, and hopefully no one gets hurt.”</p><p>The other two nodded. “Right,” they said together. Chat Noir headed for the boiler room. Chloé made to leave, but first glanced over to Caline. “Be careful,” she said, her voice not quite as strong as she hoped it would be.</p><p>Caline smiled at her. “You too.” She watched them charge off and smiled to herself.</p><p>“We can do this,” she said as she took off for the roof.</p><p>***</p><p>Juleka was terrified. The gymnasium had been recently decorated for the Spring formal, and the theme was fairy tales. However, she didn’t think the decorating committee had actually used real trees and vines in their decorating. Also, the paper mâché castle that had been along the far wall was now made from real stone, with two golden thrones now in front, perched atop an asymmetrical pile of rubble. In one of them sat Princess Fragrance. She was lounging sideways, her legs kicking lazily in the air., She was playing with a black rose that she twirled between her fingers as Juleka entered the room.</p><p>Juleka cleared her throat as Alya and Marinette wandered to different sides of the room. Rose looked up at her and shot her a twisted, evil grin. “Well, well, well, well, well, well, <em>well</em>! If it isn’t my bff! How’s it hanging, Jules?”</p><p>Rose spun in her chair and launched herself forward, flipping through the air and landing right in front of Juleka. Juleka tensed, her eyes momentarily going to the spray bottle at Rose’s side.</p><p>Rose caught her gaze and laughed. “Oh, you don’t need to worry about that right this second. See, while I might be controlling everyone else, I would <em>never</em> try to manipulate you. After all,” she leaned in close to Juleka and walked her fingers along the frightened girl’s shoulder. “That’s what you do, isn’t it?”</p><p>Juleka clenched her fists and swallowed back her fear. She looked at the super-villain and forced herself to see beyond the garish makeup and costume.</p><p>She saw Rose.</p><p>“I made a mistake,” Juleka said.</p><p>Rose blinked. “Excuse me?”</p><p>“I said I made a mistake!” Juleka got out with more force than she meant to. Apparently, the outburst surprised Rose as well, as she stepped backwards in shock.</p><p>“I was hurt,” Juleka said, her voice starting to wave a bit. “I saw you with Nathaniel, and I just, I should have talked to you about it. I should have been a better friend. That’s what friends do, and real friends,” Juleka met Rose’s eyes and ignored her own tears. “Real friends should be happy for one another, no matter what. That’s what being a real friend means!”</p><p>There was a flash of something across Princess Fragrance’s face, and for a moment Rose, the real Rose, was looking back at Juleka.</p><p>“Juleka?” Rose asked, confused. “Of course I’m happy for you. I lov…”</p><p>A purple butterfly appeared in front of Rose. In a blink, she was back to being Princess Fragrance. The akumatized monster laughed and twirled her black rose in her hand.</p><p>“Silly little girl,” she said as she traced the rose down Juleka’s nose. “You think I’m going to believe your lies? Let’s see how well you lie when you’re under my control.”</p><p>Princess Fragrance reached for her spray bottle.</p><p>Juleka readied herself, her hands clenched in fists.</p><p>“I’m so sorry, Rose.”</p><p>Princess Fragrance raised a curious eyebrow. “Beg pardon?”</p><p>Juleka decked her.</p><p>Hard.</p><p>Princess Fragrance went flying backwards and crashed into the floor of the gym. At that moment, several things happened at once. The skylight above the gym exploded as Caline flew down towards Rose at top speed. Chloé bolted towards Juleka and scooped her up, and right then, the floor of the gymnasium turned black and crumbled, causing the gym, the decorations, the trees, the castle, and even the zombified students to tumble into the boiler room below.</p><p>Caline crashed into Princess Fragrance and reached for the rose in the girl’s hand. Princess Fragrance took advantage and punched her in the face, snarling “how dare you get between the two of us! I’ll teach you not to stick your nose in our business, you Ladybug wannabe!”</p><p>Caline sniffed back the bloody nose Rose had just given her, leaned her head back, and then headbutted Rose with everything she had. There was a loud crack and Rose went flying backwards before slamming into the rubble strewn across the boiler room floor. Rose scrambled for her spray bottle, but one quick swing of a yoyo and the bottle went flying across the room, right into Chat Noir’s hands.</p><p>“Is it in here?” He asked, breaking the bottle.</p><p>“I don’t think so,” Caline called out. She leapt for Princess Fragrance, grabbing her by the shoulders and slamming her against a damaged boiler. As Princess Fragrance tried to claw at Caline’s face, Caline grabbed the girl by the wrist, swung her around and pulled down, and before anyone knew what was going on, Rose found herself in a full-on arm bar.</p><p>“Let me go, you old hag,” Rose shouted.</p><p>Chat Noir grabbed the rose in Princess Fragrance’s hand.</p><p>“The name’s Mamabug,” Caline said as Chat snapped the rose in two. “And you need a time out, kiddo.”</p><p>A purple butterfly flew out. Caline let Rose go and swung her yoyo, catching the offending bug instantly. She then took the hairclip from her jacket pocket and threw it up in the air.</p><p>“Miraculous Ladybug!” She screamed.</p><p>In a flash of magical bugs, the school was put back to rights. The floor, the boiler room, the skylight, everything was back to normal. Everyone found themselves safely deposited by the ladybugs on the gymnasium floor.</p><p>A confused and delirious Rose blinked from where she was sitting. Queen Bee wandered over with a concerned Juleka behind her, and Chat Noir joined them.</p><p>“Pound it!”</p><p>“Rose!” Juleka ran to Rose’s side and helped her up. “Are you okay? Were you hurt?”</p><p>Rose shakily got to her feet and shook her head. “No, I don’t think so. What happened? How did I wind up here?”</p><p>Juleka took Rose’s hand and though her tears, said, “this was all my fault. I never should have asked Chloé to do what she did. I didn’t even know what she was going to do! I swear, the last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt you!”</p><p>Rose cupped Juleka’s face with her palm and smiled. “Hey, it’s okay. I’m sorry I took it so bad. I should have been happy for you, not jealous.”</p><p>Juleka shook her head. “That was just a prank, and it was an awful one. I should have been happy for you. If Nathaniel asked you to the Spring formal, then I hope you two have a great time. I’m so happy for…”</p><p>Rose blinked. “Wait, what?”</p><p>Juleka saw the confused look on Rose’s face. “The Spring formal,” Juleka said again. “I saw Nathaniel ask you yesterday, but I was so caught up in myself that I didn’t think about your feelings. I am so… Why are you laughing?”</p><p>Rose was doubled over with peals of laughter. “You thought… You thought I was being asked to the dance… by <em>Nathaniel</em>?”</p><p>Rose lost it. It took her a good ten seconds to compose herself while three heroes and one confused Juleka waited impatiently. Off to the side stood Marinette and Alya. Caline glanced over and noticed Marinette watching her with a wide-eyed, shocked expression across her face. Beside her, Alya was excitedly filming everything.</p><p>“Oh my God,” Alya muttered. “Actual post-battle footage of Mamabug! You know they say she’s the secret leader? Some people think she’s Ladybug from the future!”</p><p>Marinette made a noise. Alya took that to mean her friend was in agreement.</p><p>Rose looked Juleka in the eye and wiped tears of laughter from her cheeks. “He was saying thank you for hooking him up with his secret crush! He’d been so afraid to ask that I had to orchestrate the whole thing for him. You thought…!”</p><p>Juleka blushed and looked away, her arms crossed over her chest in frustration. “It’s not funny! I was genuinely upset. I thought that, that… So, um, who are you going to the dance with?”</p><p>Rose reached out and turned Juleka’s face towards hers.</p><p>“Who do you think, dummy?”</p><p>Rose reached out, grabbed Juleka by the collar, and pulled her in for a kiss. Her hand stayed cupped to the shocked girl’s face.</p><p>“Okay,” Caline said. “So, that’s our cue. Heroes?”</p><p>Chloé smiled and dusted her hands off in victory. “See? I know what I’m doing. No one ever believes me. So ridiculous!”</p><p>Chat Noir patted her on the back as his ring started to beep. “You’re unappreciated in your time. And I have to boogie. Catch you later, bugettes!”</p><p>They watched as Chat Noir took off through the locker room door. Caline and Chloé went to leave, but Caline first cleared her throat.</p><p>“Students aren’t allowed in the gymnasium after school hours. Also, don’t you all have a dance to get ready for?”</p><p>Rose and Juleka broke apart and blushed heavily. Caline couldn’t tell if it was from embarrassment or something more, but she suspected it was a little of both.</p><p>Caline stepped up beside Chloé and gave her a nudge. Chloé looked to Caline, who was glancing between her, Juleka, and Marinette.</p><p>“Fine,” Chloé muttered. She walked up to Juleka and cleared her throat.</p><p>“So, yeah. I’m sorry about everything today.”</p><p>Juleka smiled and shook her head. Rose was beside her, hugging her by the waist. “It wasn’t exactly what I had planned, but I guess it worked out, so, it’s cool.”</p><p>Chloé nodded and grinned. “Of course it is, but…” She glanced over to Marinette, who looked really anxious as she kept glancing at Caline. “Look. I’m not good at friend stuff, but that girl over there?” She pointed back at Marinette. “I think she can take it from here.”</p><p>“Oh!” Rose said. “The dance is tonight! Juleka, we need to get ready! Do you have anything to wear?”</p><p>Juleka glanced down at her outfit and shrugged. “I mean, I guess…”</p><p>Chloé slapped her own forehead and moaned. “For God’s sake, you can’t show up like that. You look like a beggar. Hey, Dupain-Cheng!”</p><p>Marinette turned her attention from the grown-up Ladybug in front of her to Chloé. “Yes?”</p><p>Chloé pointed at Juleka and Rose. “I need your help, tailor-girl. They need outfits for tonight.”</p><p>Marinette came over and frowned. “I mean, sure, but this is a little short notice. I don’t know that I have time to do two outfits.”</p><p>“Then do one,” Chloé said as she grabbed Juleka by the arm. “I’ve got this one.”</p><p>“Um, what are you doing,” Juleka asked.</p><p>Chloé glanced at her and smirked. “I believe I said I could help you. I never said I was finished. I’m going to make you look fabulous whether you like it or not.”</p><p>Juleka was about to protest, but she felt Rose’s hand on her arm. “Let her help,” Rose said with a wink. “What could it hurt?”</p><p>“I could look like a yellow abomination,” Juleka muttered.</p><p>Rose kissed her on the cheek. “You’ll look beautiful, no matter what.”</p><p>A very red Juleka turned to Chloé, sighed, and nodded. “Fine.”</p><p>Caline led the girls out of the gymnasium and out through the front entrance, where a crowd of concerned students were waiting for them. Cameras were flashing and people were screaming to find out what had happened. Alya was still there, right in front, filming Caline and having a stroke.</p><p>“Mamabug! Hey, Mamabug! Can I get an interview for the Ladyblog? Please?”</p><p>Caline chuckled and shook her head no. She looked to her side, where Marinette was talking with Rose.</p><p>“Excuse me, student?” Caline said. “Where is your bag? Did it get lost in the chaos back there?”</p><p>Marinette looked at her for a moment and then nodded. “Yes. Yes, it did.”</p><p>“Then maybe you should go back and find it,” Caline said with a wink. “Sorry,” Caline said to Alya as she waved to the crowd. “I’d love to stick around, but I’ve got places to be. Mamabug, out!” She flung her yoyo out across the crowd to a nearby building, gave a tug, and in the blink of an eye, she was gone.</p><p>The crowd watched her go, completely ignoring Chloé who was now standing where Caline had just been. “Um, hello? Doesn’t anyone want to interview me?”</p><p>***</p><p>Thirty minutes later, Caline swung through the window of her office to find an antsy Marinette sitting on her pink chase, waiting for her.</p><p>“Hey kiddo,” Caline said as she set a white box on her desk. “I had to make a quick stop before doubling back. That, and all this hero stuff makes you hungry. Tikki, spots off!”</p><p>A flash of red light, and plain old Caline Bustier was back.</p><p>She opened the box and took out a macaroon for the exhausted kwami that had floated down to the desk beside her. As Tikki happily munched away, Caline took off the earrings and handed them to Marinette.</p><p>“Sorry to steal your thunder,” Caline said with a shrug. “I’m perfectly happy to sit on the sidelines, but, you know, zombies.”</p><p>Marinette nodded. “Yeah, I’ve been there.”</p><p>Caline coughed and looked away.</p><p>After a moment, Caline noticed Marinette looking off to the side and biting her lip. She knew this face; it was the one Marinette got when she was concentrating hard on an exam question.</p><p>“Hey,” Caline said in her softest voice. “I’m sorry. I only took the earrings because it was an emergency. I swear.”</p><p>“How did you get them?” Marinette asked.</p><p>Caline glanced to Tikki, who was hovering just behind Marinette. The kwami was shaking her head.</p><p>“I slipped them off of you while you your back was turned,” Caline said. “You must not have had orders to fight anyone.”</p><p>Marinette gave a relieved sigh and nodded. “That makes sense. Thanks.”</p><p>She continued to brood for a moment. Caline reached out and took her hand. “Hey, are you upset I borrowed those? Because if that’s the case…”</p><p>Marinette shook her head. “It’s not that. I just… I’ve been mulling something over, and I think I need to talk to someone before I say anything else.” She smiled at Caline. “I’m glad you were there, and I’m glad you could save the day.”</p><p>“I did shockingly little aside from beat up a minor,” Caline said. “Juleka deserves the credit on this one.”</p><p>Marinette smiled and brought her hand to her chin in thought. “Still,” she said. “That’s twice you’ve saved my friends. Keep this up, and I’ll be permanently in your debt.”</p><p>Caline took a scone out of the box and held it up. “I’m good. Plus, you made me a jacket. I still feel like I’m paying that thing off. Now shoo, you. I believe you’ve got a dance to get to and a friend to help.”</p><p>Marinette perked up at that and turned to leave. As she reached the door, she stopped and turned back.</p><p>“Ms. Bustier?”</p><p>“Yes, dear?” Caline asked.</p><p>“Do you think I’ll be like you when I grow up?”</p><p>Caline blinked, stunned. “You want to be a teacher?”</p><p>Marinette shook her head.</p><p>“You’re always there for us, and when you were Mamabug, you jumped in and saved the kids here without a second thought. That’s who I want to be. I just thought you should know that.”</p><p>Caline laughed and said, “Sweetie, that’s who you are <em>right now</em>. When I go out there, you know the first thing I ask myself?”</p><p>Marinette shook her head. “No, what?”</p><p>“What would Marinette do?”</p><p>Marinette was smiling brightly as she left her favorite teacher’s office.</p><p>***</p><p>Maybe it was because akuma attacks were so commonplace, but by that evening, everyone seemed to be in good spirits at the dance. Caline noted that the ladybugs had done a fine job of restoring the decorations, but she kind of missed the trees. Those had admittedly been a neat touch.</p><p>She was standing by the far wall of the gym, sipping a cup of punch and doing her designated chaperone duties. She had protested only slightly to Principal Damocles, but then she remembered that she honestly had nothing else to do that evening, and she had cracked him square in the face with a magic yoyo.</p><p>She still protested a little, though.</p><p>Caline watched as her students entered the gym, awkwardly danced, drank punch, and hung out. The dresses were pretty, the dancing was so, so awkward, and everyone was having a great time. More than once, she caught a student waving to her and smiling. She smiled and waved back each time.</p><p>‘<em>This isn’t terrible</em>,’ she thought to herself.</p><p>She looked over to the door to see Juleka enter with Chloé. Juleka was wearing a beautiful purple gown. It had a bit of billow to it, but noting ostentatious. There was a ribbon tied low on the waist, and the collar was generous without being revealing. It fit the quiet girl’s personality to a tee. Chloé had even convinced Juleka to pin her hair up out of her eyes. Caline thought that she looked like a princess.</p><p>Chloé almost immediately ditched Juleka and started wandering the room, waving to people and getting some high fives. She eventually made her way over to Caline.</p><p>“Ugh, these things are so juvenile. I don’t know why I’m here,” Chloé moaned.</p><p>“Maybe because you’re a juvenile?” Caline quipped.</p><p>Chloé crossed her arms and pouted. “So?”</p><p>Caline nudged her to get her attention. Chloé looked up in time to see Rose enter with Marinette.</p><p>“Oh, wow,” Chloé breathed.</p><p>When Marinette had texted Chloé to find out what Juleka was wearing, she hadn’t thought much of it. Apparently, it had been to color coordinate. Rose was wearing a purple suit jacket, a white blouse, and purple vest. Her white dress pants ended in plain white slip-ons, and the corsage on her left breast was a white chrysanthemum.</p><p>Chloé stared. “She looks great.”</p><p>Caline nodded. “They both do. You did a great job, Queen Bee.”</p><p>Chloé puffed out her chest and grinned. “Thank you. I did, didn’t I?”</p><p>Juleka’s breath caught in her throat when she saw Rose enter. Marinette whispered something in Rose’s ear, and Juleka smiled as she saw Rose turn her eyes towards her and blush heavily. Rose nearly bounded to Juleka, and with an overly dramatic, sweeping bow, said, “My lady, may I have this dance?”</p><p>Juleka looked around for a moment and noticed the eyes that were on her. “Um, everyone’s watching us,” she said in a shaking voice.</p><p>Rose stood up straight and took Juleka’s hand. “Then let’s give them something to watch, silly.”</p><p>And with that, she pulled Juleka close, put her hand on her hip, and began to sway with the music.</p><p>“I like your outfit,” Juleka said. “You look good in that.”</p><p>Rose grinned. “I know, right? Marinette got the idea after Chloé texted me a picture of your dress. You look gorgeous! Juleka, you could be a model.”</p><p>Juleka smiled at that. “Thanks. That means a lot to hear from you.”</p><p>They held each other, and Juleka was starting to let her mind drift when she heard Rose whisper, “So, about that letter on your locker earlier today?”</p><p>Juleka stiffened slightly. “Yeah? What about it?”</p><p>She pulled back a bit to look at Rose. The blonde girl’s cheeks were crimson. “Um, how did it go again?”</p><p>Juleka couldn’t remember the exact words, so she leaned in and did the next best thing.</p><p>Rose got the gist of it.</p><p>From the wall, Chloé watched and smiled. Caline noticed, but didn’t say anything. She did however notice a certain blonde young man enter with a pretty Japanese girl on his arm. She gave Chloé a soft nudge and said, “That girl with Adrien. Is that Kagami?”</p><p>Chloé blinked in surprise at Caline. “How do you know Kagami? She doesn’t go here.”</p><p>“I have ears,” Caline said. “So, is that her?”</p><p>Chloé watched as the two started dancing. They were both smiling and talking, and looked completely relaxed with one another. “Yeah, that’s her.”</p><p>Caline bit her lip as she scanned the dance floor. She found Marinette in a simple white and pink dress, and dancing in the arms of a ruggedly good-looking boy with blue hair. Despite being with someone who seemed to be somewhat smitten with her, she kept glancing over at Adrien as he danced.</p><p>Caline shook her head. “That girl has got to get her stuff together.”</p><p>“Tell me about it,” Chloé huffed.</p><p>Caline smiled and then noticed something by the refreshments. “Chloé,” she said. “I need you to do something for me.”</p><p>Chloé raised an eyebrow. “What do you need?”</p><p>Caline gestured to the refreshment table and said, “I want you to get a glass of punch.”</p><p>Chloé blinked. “Um, okay? That’s it?”</p><p>Caline nodded. “That’s it.”</p><p>Chloé wandered over to the refreshments, a bit confused as to why she was being sent on her errand. At least she was until she saw who was serving drinks.</p><p>“Hi,” Chloé said.</p><p>“Hi,” Sabrina replied.</p><p>There was an unusually long moment of silence.</p><p>“So,” Chloé said as she did her absolute best to keep her voice from sounding snotty. “we got a new entertainment system put in back at the suite. It’s simply ridiculous though. Daddy got me some new mecha strike fighting game, but it needs two people to play. Utterly ridiculous!”</p><p>Sabrina glanced off to the side. “That sounds like a problem.”</p><p>Chloé took a breath. So, Sabrina wasn’t going to make this easy. ‘<em>Well, I suppose that’s fair</em>,’ Chloé thought.</p><p>“I miss hanging out with you,” Chloé blurted out.</p><p>Sabrina’s eyes went wide.</p><p>“I miss spending time with you, and having fun with you, and goofing around. You were my… You were my best friend. And I am…” Chloé took another breath. “I’m happy that you’re having so much fun with Lila, but if you’d like to, you know, hang out sometime…”</p><p>Chloé nearly jumped when Sabrina handed her a cup of punch. “Maybe after the dance, you and I could check out that entertainment system and, um, hang out?” Sabrina asked.</p><p>Chloé smiled and nodded. “If you’re free. And of <em>course</em>, if I’m free. You know.”</p><p>Sabrina offered a small smile. “Yeah, I know.”</p><p>Chloé looked over to Caline and smiled. Caline smiled back and sighed with relief.</p><p>While she couldn’t save everybody, she could help her students where she could.</p><p>Caline took a sip of punch and kept watch over her students as they danced the night away. They knew they were in no danger tonight. The akuma had been defeated, the heroes had saved the day, and love, such as it is when concerning youth, was in the air.</p><p>They were safe.</p><p>And of course they were.</p><p>After all, they had Mamabug to protect them.</p>
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